JPH03256758A - Printing controller - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve a drawing property remarkably by a method wherein vector information and character information are selected, a character drawing data being sent to a character processor, vector drawing data being sent respectively to graphic processors and each processor processes only a data suitable for said processing. CONSTITUTION:In the case where a functional character of a character is detected, positional information of which a straight line is ended, a size of the character, and a character drawing data B of a character code (kanji) are given to a character processor 41. Further, in the case where a next drawing start position is grasped by the size of a character and the number of characters a next straight line data is detected, pen position is given and a vector drawing data A of the pen position (Xa, Ya) and the straight line (X3, Y3) are sent to a graphic processor 51. A selection device 3 selects successively receiving a graphic data line (c) and sends the character drawing data B to the character processor 41 and the vector drawing data A to the graphic processor 51. Further, the graphic processor 51 follows the vector drawing data A and developes a graphic pattern in a bit map memory 52 to be printed.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a print control device, and more particularly to a print control device suitable for controlling an electrophotographic page printer or the like.

Prior art In the past, the print data handled by this type of print control device was only so-called character data, such as alphanumeric characters, kana, kanji, and symbols, but in recent years, different types of data such as image data and graph data have been processed. The trend is to arrange and edit these on the same page to provide printed matter that is easier to see and understand.

Therefore, when processing character code data strings (hereinafter referred to as character data) and graph code data strings (hereinafter referred to as graph data) sent from a general-purpose computer, etc., each type of data is stored in the print control device. A method is adopted in which a processing device is provided to process the print data, and print data is drawn in each bitmap memory, and the data in both memories is logically summed by an OR circuit and then transferred to the printing device.

The method will be explained using FIG. 2. In Figure 2,
Data a sent from the general-purpose computer 1 is sent to the input device 2. The human-powered device 2 uses the recognition code added to the beginning of the data a or the command (
For example, character data transfer command, graph data transfer command)
etc., to determine whether it is character data or graph data.

Then, if the character data is B, it is transferred to the character processing bag W4, and if it is the graph data C, it is transferred to the graph processing device 5. The character processing device 141 receives the character data b,
A character pattern corresponding to the character code is generated from the character signal generator 43 according to the functional characters (for example, print position, character size, etc.) of the character data b, and drawn in the bitmap memory 42. In addition, the graph processing device 51
receives graph data C and generates a graph pattern,
Draw to the bitmap memory 52.

The data drawn in the bitmap memory 42, 52 is sent to the printing device W7 via the OR circuit 6 and printed.

For example, as shown in FIG. 4, a printing result is obtained by combining the character data pattern in the bitmap memory 42 and the graph data in the bitmap memory 52.

Here, if we consider the contents of the pig included in the morphometric graph data, we will find vector drawing data such as pen (coordinate) positioning, pen movement, drawing and painting of circles, ellipses, and polygons, and ANK characters ( It can be divided into character drawing data such as alphanumeric characters, kana characters), and kanji characters. In addition, vector drawing data and character drawing data are arbitrarily included in the graph data constituting one page, and the order in which they are sent also has meaning.

For example, as shown in FIG.
After specifying Yl), when a straight line is drawn up to (X2.Y2), the next pen position will be the position where the straight line has finished drawing. Therefore, when drawing the next character, the (X2
．． Draw from the position of Y2) and then the next (Xa, Ya)
A common method is to draw a straight line from the position to (X3.Ya).

Returning to FIG. 2, when the graph processing device 51 receives one page of graph data C, it interprets the contents of the data from the beginning of the data, and as described above, if it is vector drawing data, vector information is generated. (for example, drawing a circle), the data is drawn in the bitmap memory 52. Here, if character drawing data (such as the functional character of "character" in FIG. 3) is detected in the data, the graph processing device 51 converts the character size (for example, 9 points) and character code data d into The signal is given to the signal generator 43.

Then, the character dot pattern e (for example, 40 x 40
The complicated procedure of reading out the dot character pattern (e), loading it into the re-rough processing device 51 again, and developing the character dot pattern in the bitmap memory 52 based on the designated character position information is performed.

In the conventional print control device described above, the graph processing device 51
The character drawing data in the graph data C is detected, the character size and character code data are given to the character signal generator W43, and the character pattern is read into the graph processing device 51 again, and then transferred to the bitmap memory 52. The process of drawing is performed.

That is, in order to print the character drawing data in the graph data string C, it is necessary to transfer the data of the dot pattern of the characters, and the time for this transfer occupies a large proportion of the time to draw one page. Therefore, data transfer to the printing device 7 becomes slow, resulting in a disadvantage that the output speed deteriorates.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, and its purpose is to provide a printing control device with improved output speed.

Composition of the Invention A print control device according to the present invention inputs graph code data and character code data including vector drawing data and character drawing data, and after developing the character drawing data and the character code data into character pattern data. , a printing control device that writes each data in a bitmap memory and performs printing according to the data held in the bitmap memory, the first and second bitmap memories and vector drawing data in the graph code data. a sorting means for sorting out the character drawing data and the character drawing data; a character development means for developing the character drawing data and the character code data selected by the selection means into character pattern data; and a character pattern developed by the character development means. a first writing means for writing data into the first bitmap memory; a second writing means for writing character drawing data selected by the selection means into the second bitmap memory; and printing means for printing in accordance with the data held in the second bitmap memory.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of an embodiment of a printing control apparatus according to the present invention, and parts equivalent to those in FIG. 2 are designated by the same reference numerals.

In the figure, data a sent from a general-purpose computer is sent to an input device 2. Human power device 21 data a
Character data or graph data is determined and sorted based on the recognition code added to the beginning of the data or the command used when transferring the data. Then, character data b is transferred to the character processing device 41, and graph data C is transferred to the sorting device 3. The character processing device 41 receives the character data b, generates a character pattern corresponding to the character code from the character signal generator 43, and draws it in the bitmap memory 42 according to the functional character of the character data b. The process up to this point is the same as before.

Now, assume that the sorting device 3 receives graph data C shown in FIG. Then, the sorting device 3 detects each functional character of “pen position” “straight line” in the figure, and sends vector drawing data A of the pen position (XI, Yl) and straight line (X2, Y2) to the graph processing device 51. .

Next, when the function character of "character" is detected, the position information of the end of the straight line, the size of the character (9 points), and the character drawing data B of "character code kanji" are stored in the character processing bag fi.
Give to 41. Also, the next drawing start position can be determined based on the character size and number of characters (2 in this case), and when the next "straight line" data is detected, pen position information is added,
Vector drawing data A of the pen position (Xa, Ya) and straight line (XS, Y3) is sent to the graph processing device 51.

In this way, the sorting device 3 sequentially sorts the graph data string C while receiving it, and sends the character drawing data B to the character processing device 41 and the vector drawing data A to the graph processing device 51. Further, the graph processing device f51 transfers the graph pattern to the bitmap memory 52 according to the vector drawing data A.
Expand to. Each dot image drawn on the bitmap memory 42, 52 is logically summed by the OR circuit 6 and then sent to the printing device W7 to be printed.

FIG. 5 shows the data flow described above.

As shown in the figure, the graph coat data string is divided into character drawing data B and vector drawing data A by a sorting device.
It is sorted by. The vector drawing data A is then sent to the bitmap memory 52 via the graph processing device.
The character drawing data is sent to the bitmap memory 42 together with the character code data string via the character processing device. In this way, since each device processes only the data suitable for its processing, the time required for printing is shortened.

This will be explained using FIG. 6.

The figure shows the flow of character drawing data in graph data, and (a) shows the flow of character drawing data in graph data.
(see FIG. 2), FIG. 2(b), or the printing control device of this embodiment (see FIG. 1).

First, in the conventional print control device, data a is sent from the general-purpose computer 1 to the input device 2 (step 6
1 → 62). Furthermore, from the human-powered device 2, the graph processing bag at
Graph data C is sent to 51 (step 62 → 63
).

The graph processing device 5] sends the character size and character code data d to the character processing device 41, and in response, the character processing device 41 sends the character dot pattern e.
(For example, 40x40 dots/character) is the graph processing device 5
1 (steps 63-64-65).

Thereafter, the data is developed into the bitmap memory 52 (
step 66), and is printed in the printing device 7 via the OR circuit 6 (steps 66-70→71).

In contrast to the conventional procedure described above, in this embodiment, the data a from the general-purpose computer 1 is manually entered into the input device 2 (
Steps 61-62), and after being sent out as graph data C, it is sorted into character drawing data A by the sorting device 3 and output (steps 62-67). and,
The data is inputted to the character processing device 41 and converted into a character pattern together with a character code data string (step 68), and expanded into the bitmap memory 42 (step 69).

Thereafter, as in the conventional case, printing is performed in the printing device 7 via the OR circuit 6 (step 70) (step 71).
).

In other words, in the conventional technology, it took time to provide the character size and character code data d, and time to read out the character dot pattern e, but with the present invention, character data can be developed into a character pattern all at once. This reduces this time and improves processing speed.

Here, an example of the structure of the sorting device 3 is shown in FIG.

In the figure, numeral 31 is a manual port for graph data C. A microcomputer 32 reads the input port 31, applies the contents to a functional character table 33, and extracts the meaning of the functional character (for example, pen position). and,
If it is determined that the data is vector drawing data, it is output as vector drawing data A to the vector output port 34, and if it is determined to be character drawing data, it is output as character drawing data B to the character output port 35.

Furthermore, an example of the operation of the microcomputer 32 will be explained by taking the processing of the graph code data string shown in FIG. 3 as an example.

FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing operation procedure of the microcomputer in the sorting device when the data shown in FIG. 3 is input.

First, read the human port and import the data (
Step 81). Next, give the data to the functional character table and extract the meaning of the data (step 8).
2).

The meaning of the data indicated by the functional character table is pen position (step 83), straight line (step 86)
, characters (step 90), etc. In other words, information such as pen positions, straight lines, characters, etc. may be stored in advance in the functional character table, and the meaning may be retrieved according to the content of the read data.

When the meaning of the data is "pen position", the input port is further read and data of (Xi, Yl) is taken in (steps 83→84).Then, the pen position (XI, Yl) is read.
is stored as the start position (Xs, YS) (step 85).

Read the input port again to take in data (step 81), give the data to the functional character table,
The meaning of the data is extracted (step 82).

When the meaning of the data is “straight line” (step 83→
86), and further reads the input port to take in data (X2.Y2) (step 87). Next, send “pen position II, Xs” to the vector output port.

Ys, straight line, X2. Y2” in order (step 8
8). Then, move (X2.Y2) to the next starting position (X
s, Ys) (step 89).

Read the input port again to take in data (step 81), give the data to the functional character table,
The meaning of the data is extracted (step 82).

When the meaning of the data is “character” (step 83 →
(Step 91)
. Next, send “Xs, Ys, 9 points,” to the character output port.
``Kan, character'' are output in order (step 92). Then, (
The position (Xa, Ya) after adding the width of two characters (2Xw, 0) to the next start position (Xs, Ys)
s) (step 93).

Read the input port again to take in data (step 81), give the data to the functional character table,
The meaning of the data is extracted (step 82).

If the meaning of the data is “straight line” (step 83-
86), and further reads the human port to take in the data of (Xa, Y3) (step 87). Next, to the vector output boat “Pen position, X5Ys, straight line, Xa, Y3’
are output in order (step 88). And (Xa, Y
3) as the next start position (Xs, Ys) (8 steps).

As shown in (2) below, the operation of selecting data and outputting it to the vector output port or character output port is performed on all data. In this way, the present invention selects data and writes it to a bitmap memory for vector data or a bitmap memory for character data, thereby improving processing speed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION As described in detail, the present invention provides a sorting device between a general-purpose computer or the like and a processing device, and sorts vector information and character information from a graph code data string when transferring a graph code data string. Character drawing data is sent to the character processing device.
Each vector drawing data is sent to a graph processing device,
Since each processing device processes only data suitable for its processing, there is an effect that drawing performance, that is, output performance can be significantly improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a print control device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a block diagram showing the configuration of a conventional print control device, and FIG. 3 is a conceptual diagram showing an example of graph data. FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing an example of print processing by a conventional print control device, FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing an example of print processing by the print control device of the present invention, and FIG. 6(a) is a schematic diagram showing an example of print processing by a conventional print control device. FIG. 6(b) is a flowchart showing the flow of character drawing data in graph data by the print control device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing the flow of character drawing data in graph data according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 8 is a block diagram showing the internal configuration of the sorting device, and FIG. 8 is a flowchart showing the processing operation of the microcomputer in the sorting device. Explanation of symbols of main parts 1... General-purpose computer 2... Input device 3... Sorting device 41... Character processing device 51... Graph processing device 42.52...Bitmap memory Figure 1

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) Input graph code data and character code data including vector drawing data and character drawing data,
A printing control device that develops the character drawing data and the character code data into character pattern data, writes each data to a bitmap memory, and performs printing according to the data held in the bitmap memory, the first and second Second
a bitmap memory, a sorting means for sorting vector drawing data and character drawing data in the graph code data, and developing the character drawing data selected by the sorting means and the character code data into character pattern data. character development means; first writing means for writing the character pattern data developed by the character development means into the first bitmap memory; and character drawing data selected by the selection means into the second bit map memory. a second writing means for writing into the map memory; and said first and second writing means.
1. A printing control device comprising: printing means for printing in accordance with data held in a bitmap memory.